In the Spotlight: Oasis ( Inferno #2) by J.R. Gray (excerpt)

Oasis by J.R. Gray
Publication: July 18th 2019 by Gray Books

Sales Links:Oasis

 

 

Blurb

I worshiped at the altar of pain, surviving on avoidance, physical to avoid the mental, anything to forget what I’d lost. When Remi walked through the door, I felt like I’d paid my price for the passage through hell and been granted a taste of Eden. Remi was my oasis and I was going to drown myself in him. 

But life takes with no remorse and everything was a mirage. The past won’t stay dead and a cruel phantom comes to destroy our happiness. The more we need each other the further apart our lives drive us. I’m torn between my perfect past and the hope of an oasis, and either choice demands I cut out part of my soul. 

Buy Oasis

First book in the Inferno series: Clouded Hell

I survive on avoidance. Physical pain to avoid the mental. Disposable flesh to avoid relationships. Work to avoid attachment. My club became my empire of avoidance. Inside the ring millions are won and lost. The fight is confined to breaths, actions and reactions, fists and pain. Rules don’t exist. Only my opponent exists. I’d been avoiding my needs for far too long when Remi stumbles into the Inferno and I’m hungry. The promise of a submissive with no attachment is far too tempting. I can’t resist him. He was only supposed to be a distraction, but I know I’ll never get over him. There isn’t a chance in this clouded hell.

Clouded Hell

Excerpts

#1

“Scared of me?” he asked.

“Only of you leaving.”

He turned to cup upside down over my chest. The scalding water burned and spread and I slipped. I slipped and floated. My lips parted and I could feel my breath pass between them. I must have moaned, but I was too gone to hear anything. The only thing I felt were his tools on me. Hands, and crops, and maybe a flogger. I craved each touch like the whisper of a lover over my skin. His marks were love written on my skin.

I pulled against the bonds wanting to touch him. The crude rope bit into my wrists, and I didn’t care. I had to touch him. I had to get to him. I knew it was useless, but how many things in life do we do that we know in the end will be useless. I’d felt like that my entire relationship with him. I was chasing someone who would never see me the way I saw him. But he was the sun, and to stand in his light was better than to suffer in the dark for the rest of eternity.

“How easy you are.”

“Only for you.” I swore.

“Even more pathetic.”

“I am. I will be anything you want me to be.”

“I have no doubt of that.” He dragged his nails over the lightly blistered flesh and I cried out.

The pain lifted me and filled me, but not as much as his words. His words broke me, but also built me. I knew they were only for me. I knew he didn’t pay this attention to anyone else.

Then there was soft. A silk touch. His lips? I had to pry open my eyes and fight my way out of the space I was in to see how he kissed my hip. His fingers played over my collar bones, and when he looked me in the eyes, I saw something there I’d never seen before. Maybe he did return my feelings in his way. I lived and died in that one look.

I was forever his, whether he remained or left. Like I’d signed my life away in his eyes. I was his devout servant for eternity.

It was more than a physical release. Better than cumming could ever be.

#2

My lips pulled back as fire raced through my veins. I had no outlet for the rage that filled me. Rain started to fall, soaking us through instantly.

“I don’t know if I want any of that anymore,” I said.

“What? It’s who you are.”

I grabbed his shirt, shoving him into the car. “You are who I am.”

I forced his lips open with mine, kissing him. He didn’t fight me. He still belonged to me. I knew he felt it as much as I did.

I tugged at the fabric and he raised his arms so I could strip off his hastily put on shirt. I shoved his jeans down, without shame wrapping my fingers around his cock.

He dug his nails into my arm. “Dante.”

“Shut up.” I stroked up his length, and his fingers tightened, drawing blood. It mixed with the rain and ran down my arms.

I bit and sucked at his lips and tongue. His other hand found my hip and dug in. I pulled back enough to meet his eyes. He was savage with his nails.

“Do your worst,” I said. 

“You don’t want my worst.”

I grabbed his balls with my free hand and twisted, smiling down at him. He returned the gesture by grabbing my cock through my pants.

“We aren’t in the playroom. I will return all of it.”

I licked over my lips squeezing more and raising a brow. It seemed like challenge.

“Hurt me. I need it.”

Both his brows rose, and he nodded. “Are we doing this out here or are we taking it inside?” Remi unzipped my pants and dugs his nails into my cock as he freed it.

About the Author

Gray is a cynical Chicago native, who drinks coffee all day, barely sleeps, and is a little too fashion obsessed. He writes realistic and damaged characters because everyone deserves a happily ever after.

Connect with J.R. Gray: Website | Instagram | Twitter – Personal | Twitter – Books | Facebook | Facebook Group | Tumblr | Mailing List | Amazon Author Page | Book Bub | Pareon

Books by JR Gray

Speak No Evil

King Consort

Forsaken

Say Yes

The Bound Series

Legally Bound

Breach of Contract

Illicit Activity

Damages Incurred

Capital Offense

A Stella Review: Love & Tea Bags (Pink Rock Series #1) by C.F. White

RATING 3,75 out of 5 stars

Fate can be written in a tea bag too.

Mark Johnson is hitting his forties and is stuck in a rut.

He’s had the same boring office job for ten years, with no motivation or inclination to change it. The same crumbling house for ten years, with no cash or know-how to fix it. And the same Facebook status for five years—it’s complicated. It isn’t. He’s single. He just doesn’t want to correct it. That would be admitting defeat.

The day a tea bag splats onto his face whilst he’s emptying the dregs of his morning cuppa at Macy’s Tea Shoppe is the one that makes him question each of his current life choices…the tea bag and that the shop is currently being run by one rather friendly, rather hunky, but rather young Australian named Bradley Summers.

Tea has never tasted so good.

I picked this new release because the title and te cover interested me and the blurb sounded good too, plus I’m always on the lookout for new to me authors and I had never read CF white before. I read Love & Tea Bags and liked it a lot.

Mark and Bradley were so different, still from the beginning it was clear they were made for each other. I fell for Mark so easily and quickly, since the first chapter I found his smart mouth so endaring, sometimes a little cynical, moreover too funny.  Instead Bradley was so young and firm in his wish to woo Mark and took him from his boring life.  I appreciated how brave and stubborn at the same time both of them were; when finally Mark understood the amazing opportunity at finding a HEA he had, I had laughed and cheered on them so much, my cheeks hurt. This novel showed how literally life can change when you meet love, it is a dreamy concept, but not so far from reality.

Love & Tea Bags was a great reading, engaging, with interesting characters, with some baggage on their shoulders. I didn’t give it an higher rating cause I didn’t feel satisfied ,I wanted a little more, especially I missed Bradley POV, I think it was necessary to better enjoy the reading. That said, this is just the first installment in a new seris, I can’t wait for more.

The cover art by Erin Dameron-Hill is cute and well done, I like the colors and the font a lot.

Buy Links:  Amazon |  Pride Publishing

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 307 pages

Published July 16th 2019 by Pride Publishing

ISBN13 9781786517951

Edition Language English

Book Blitz for Revving It Up Box Set by WS Long (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Length: 60,751 words
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Blurb



The best-selling gay romance trilogy by W.S. Long is now available in a box set! Contains the stories:


Starting His Engine: Athletic and handsome, Florida boy Caleb Youngblood has always wanted to race stock cars like his father and his brother. When Caleb falls in love with Sebastian Rush, a sports writer, he knows he must make a decision. Will he stay in the closet and follow his dream, or can he make a life with Sebastian and follow his heart?


Too Tough to Tame: Caleb and Sebastian are inching towards their wedding day. But as they plan for their special day together, Caleb is drawn back to stock car racing and Seb is being pulled into another direction by a former lover. Is their love strong enough to overcome these issues? Or is their life together too tough to tame?


Crossroads: With the prospect that he cannot return to racecar driving, Caleb worries about the future as Sebastian presses to have kids. Cujo has always wondered what would have happened if he wasn’t afraid of being with another man. When Cujo meets Tristan, Caleb and Sebastian’s roommate, can he overcome his fears to find love in a new way?

Excerpt from Starting His Engine
 

Garrison didn’t say anything until Joan and Earl left the room. Caleb moved closer and hugged his brother. “Glad you’re okay, man.”


“Thanks. What’s in the paper bag?”


“Clothes. I figured you needed to borrow a fresh shirt and shorts. Joan suggested I stop by your place and get you some clean clothes, but I wanted to come over right away without stopping at New Smyrna so I just grabbed you some of my clothes.”


Caleb handed the bag to Garrison who peered inside.


“What’s this?” He lifted a pink muscle tank top. “Holy shit! I’m not wearing this!”


“What about the shorts I brought?”


Garrison took out the blue shorts and eyed them. “These are girl’s shorts.”


“No. They’re male shorts, just a really, really, really short pair, meant to highlight posterior assets.”


“I’m not wearing these. My balls would be hanging out of them!”


Caleb snorted while Garrison threw the clothes at him. “You’re never appreciative of the things I do for you.”


Garrison mouthed the word asshole and then laughed.


“Did you expect anything less?”


“I guess not, little brother. Where have you been, by the way? You’ve been MIA for like two to three weeks.”


“Dad and I, well, I don’t know how to explain it,” said Caleb.


“Joan told me. She said dad wants Youngblood racing to focus on one driver for marketing and endorsements.”


“I guess that’s one way to put it,” said Caleb as he walked toward the window. “I asked him why, you know. He said he didn’t have to explain himself. That’s when I told him I didn’t want to ever talk to him again.”


“Dramatic much?” laughed Garr.


Caleb turned away from the window and sat next to Garr. “If he never wanted me to race the majors, why would he even let me drive period?”


“I don’t think we ever had a choice did we? I mean this is the family business. At least I didn’t have a choice — not like I’d want to do anything else. But you? You shouldn’t have dropped out of college. I know you came back because of Mom.” Garr patted Caleb’s thigh. “I’ll talk to Dad and see if I can talk some sense into him. I don’t know what’s going on lately. I know Joan and he like to keep the business side of things to themselves, but we all need to know why Dad is doing what Dad is doing.”


“You’re the better driver, Garr.” Caleb paused. “If he just came out and said, we’re going with Garrison because he’s the better, I’m fine with that. But to just say, I’m not racing anymore, especially the majors? I’m not ten years old. Dad should just give me the reasons why, not just say, I’m out. I’m done.”


They both sat in silence for a moment before Garrison spoke. “So what have you been doing lately? Bob says you show up in the shop and check out the cars when Dad’s not there and then leave.”


“I’ve been trying to send out feelers here and there about Formula racing and maybe racing for another team.”


“Does Dad know this?”


Caleb shook his head. “Nope. And don’t tell him either.”


“Joan said you’re dating a new guy?”


“That’s old news. We’ve been dating for more than a little over six months.”


“And you’ve never introduced him to me?” Garrison raised his shoulders and shrugged, and gestured for more information with a wave of his hands. “And?”


“I like him.”


“What’s his name?”


“Seb.”


“Seb?”


“Short for Sebastian?”


Garrison’s eyebrows arched. “Sebastian?”


“He doesn’t like to use his middle name, Harry.”


“Last name?”


“Rush.”


“Okay. Are we going to do very short answers, now? I’m your brother. You don’t have to be secretive around me.”


Caleb exhaled. “I know.”

 

About W.S Long


Lawyer by day, writer by night. When I’m not lawyering during the day, I’m often reading or writing gay fiction involving men who desire a happily ever after. I’m happily married to a mild-mannered college professor, who likes to escape to the Orlando theme parks, or to a faraway place. You can often find me on social media, sometimes talking about books, but many times mouthing about TV, movies and other geeky stuff involving superheroes. Oh, and I use a pen name to protect the innocent.

 
 

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Don’t Miss Out on the Giveaway and Exclusive Excerpt for Purple Method by Victoria Milne

Exclusive Extract 


Rick heard Max before he saw him, even above the music. When Max poked his head into the lounge and did a quick scan, Rick expected him to leave or to speak to someone else, but after pausing for a moment, Max walked right up to him. His stomach was doing little flips, and Rick sighed, trying his best to ignore it.
“Having fun?” Max asked as he approached. His tequila bottle was half-empty already, and yet he didn’t appear to be affected by it.“Yeah, I don’t know where Pete got to.” Rick took a swig of his beer.“Best not to ask,” Max said. “Ready for something stronger?” He tried to hand him the tequila bottle again.

“No, I’m good. Thanks, though. I’m not a big drinker.”

Max huffed a laugh.

“Alien concept?”

“What gave you that idea?” Max took another gulp of his drink. Something seemed to catch his eye, and he waved. “Jade, over here.” As Rick looked toward the door to the kitchen, he groaned. This could not be happening. “Jade, this is—”

“Rick?” Jade looked at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“You two know each other?”

“Um, yeah, kind of,” Rick said, recalling their occasional hookups. “Small world, huh?”

“Yeah, wow.” Jade snaked her slender arm around Max’s waist. “I guess you must’ve finished studying now?”

“Yeah, just finished. You?”

“Last year. I’m working here in Elfinbrook now.”

“How do you two know each other?” Max asked, frowning.

“College over in Leatherton when I was doing my hairdressing course,” Jade said. “Our classes were in the same building.”

“Right.”

“Oh, and we went out a couple of times.”

Rick cringed. Thanks, Jade.

Max’s expression froze for a second. “What?”

“Yeah, nothing serious, though, right, Rick? Don’t worry, sweetie, I think we got it out of our systems. I’m all yours when you decide to give me a chance.”

“I thought—”

“I’ve got a thing for blonds.” Jade laughed and ruffled her hand through Max’s hair. “Although this one keeps turning me down and pretending he’s not interested.”

“You’re my best friend’s sister. There’s no way I’m going there. Do you know how much stick Sian would give me?”

“One day you’ll give in to my charms,” Jade said and hugged him. “Make sure you drink plenty, sweetie. You deserve it after putting up with that lot on tour. See you around, Rick.”

“Yeah, bye, Jade.”

“You and Jade, huh?” Max said finally.

“She’s a sweet girl.”

“What happened to you liking guys?”

“I like guys too. I’m bi.”

“Right.”

Rick tried to hold back a smile and failed. “Is that a problem?”

“I have no reason to care who you sleep with.”

Rick took a swig of beer, giving him the courage he needed to push a little more. “Pete was right about you.”

“How’s that?” Max frowned.

Their eyes locked, and despite his effort to ignore it, a spark of desire rocketed through him. Rick grinned. “That you have a sexy ass.”

Max rolled his eyes and glanced around nervously. “He did not say that. That’s totally gross. Pete’s like family.”

Rick waited until Max looked at him again. “No, you’re right. Doesn’t make it any less true, though.”

“Are you always like this?”

“Like what?”

Max tugged at the label on his bottle. “Confident, I guess.”

“Life’s too short, right?”

“Right. Listen, I have to go see if my girlfriends are here yet.”

“Sure, I’ll see you later.”

Damn it, he should have known that was pushing too hard. And that Max would be in some sort of relationship. Flirting with Max was definitely out of the question; he knew that now. He just hoped he’d get a chance to see Max again later, that it hadn’t destroyed any chances of friendship with him.

Meet Max and Rick in a fun and entertaining summer read about a bunch of crazy-ass heavy metal musicians, a martial arts expert, and loads and loads of really delicious food. Purple Method is out on 9th July!Are you ready to join the party?

 
 
 
Length: 84,500 words 
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
 
Blurb
 

An up-and-coming heavy metal singer and a martial artist desperate to join a top MMA gym must decide how hard they’re willing to fight—for their dreams and each other.


Max Diaz is firmly in the closet, and as unbearable as that’s becoming, he can’t risk his only remaining family—his brother, Tony—or his band Purple Method’s chance to make it big.


Rick Bernstein dreams of rising in the ranks of the MMA circuit and securing a training career at a top gym, but with rejections coming thick and fast and his financial future in dire jeopardy, starting a relationship is the last thing on his mind—especially with someone who isn’t out.


But when Purple Method returns to Elfinbrook after a six-month tour, one kiss changes everything. Now Max and Rick face decisions that will change both of their lives forever.

 

Victoria Milne discovered fiction writing relatively late in life, back in 2012, and has loved every second of the journey. Her belief that life is one big adventure to be experienced to the max has stood her in good stead, but it has resulted in rather a lot of plot bunnies that don’t give her a minute’s peace!


A firm believer that consensual love should come without labels and without prejudice, these themes often appear in her stories, as do Victoria’s passions for martial arts, cooking, yoga, and loud music. It was no surprise when these subjects began to resonate in her writing, frequently taking center stage, and rather than fighting it she’s learned to accept and enjoy that these will always be indispensable elements in her work.


Although Victoria appreciates that stories don’t always have to have happy endings, hers always do—because everybody deserves to find their true love(s).


In 2016, Love Unlocked—the anthology in which her story “Writer’s Lock” was published—was a Rainbow Award finalist. The experience fueled her desire to learn as much about the mechanics of writing as she could. In 2017 Victoria completed her training with the Society for Editors and Proofreaders and became a full-time freelance editor. Victoria has always loved reading, and still can’t quite believe she’s been lucky enough to not only create books of her own but also help other writers perfect theirs too!


Website: www.purplemethod.net
Facebook: fb.me/victoriamilneauthor
Twitter: @victoria_milne_

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Terms of Service (The Heretic Doms Club #2) by Marie Sexton and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I highly doubt I can do justice to this story in a simple review. In one word: phenomenal. I listened to the audio version narrated by John Solo so much of my praise is due directly and indirectly to his outstanding narration.

On the surface, this is the story of River, an ER physician who’s just lost his husband to a fellow doctor and is struggling to come to terms with his own identity. Among his issues, besides being devastated by his husband’s infidelity, is his failure to be able to have penetrative sex and, in fact, his frequent failure to achieve an erection. Add to that the stresses of taking graveyard shift in the ER, which he’s chosen to do to avoid his ex who has day shift, and he’s just a powder keg waiting to go off. The unlucky victim of his latest blowup is the hospital pharmacist, Phil. But Phil doesn’t just stand still and take verbal abuse. He shows River his own errors, and ultimately not only does River back down, but he later seeks Phil out to apologize, something unheard of among that hospital’s physicians.

What he learns is that Phil is interested in him, but Phil doesn’t do regular relationships. He only does domestic servitude, and he never reacts emotionally—neither to sex nor to situations where others might expect some reciprocation.

Below the surface story lies the true depth found in this book (pun intended). It depicts an emotional, often painful journey to discovery for both River and Phil. This journey encompasses River’s acceptance of Phil’s domination, Phil’s own struggles with deeply buried emotions, the turmoil and upheaval of having River’s estranged husband hound him constantly to sign the divorce papers, and River’s deep-seated issues surrounding his twin’s death and his subsequent emotional separation from his family. Over and above all that, Phil’s grandfather, Pops, is in an extended care facility on the other side of the Denver metro area and suffers from dementia. Phil visits him weekly and loves him a great deal though he finds it difficult to express how deeply he cares for the man. Pops inadvertently plays a role in helping River discover some of the joy he felt in his childhood, when camping and fishing with his family, and that joy splashes over into a ripple effect that encompasses Phil.

There are appearances by Warren and Taylor, from Trailer Trash, and other members of the Heretic Dom’s Club, primarily Gray and Charlie. Each of these men is developing as a strong, supportive character in these stories, and I hope each gets his own love someday. For River and Phil, the struggle is long and real and fraught with undermining from coworkers, a theft from the hospital pharmacy, and an ultimatum by River’s ex who throws a major monkey wrench into River’s new developing relationship. The audio is over fourteen wonderful hours of pure entertainment. Compelling, riveting, dramatic, completely engrossing, I was literally unable to stop listening except for time out to recharge my cordless headphones and to sleep (but only one night because this book deserved my devotion for two solid days.)

I highly recommend this to anyone remotely interested in D/s relationships, with a focus on domestic servitude, and those who enjoy a long, slow journey to a highly rewarding destination. And most definitely, get the audio. It’s pure listening pleasure.

Cover art is dramatic and pulls your eye towards the book. Works.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audio Details:

14 hrs 20 mins

Audible Audio, 15 pages
Published August 13th 2018 by Marie Sexton (first published June 25th 2018)
Original TitleTerms of Service
ASINB07G9LRXMX
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Heretic Doms Club #2
settingColorado (United States)

A Lucy Review: Invisible by Iyana Jenna

Rating: 2 stars out of 5
Daniel Matthews lost someone dear in the past. When he sees a young man lose his fast food dinner to a couple of bullies, he ends up buying both of them a meal. To his surprise, Liam reminds Daniel a lot of his brother, gone too soon. But the feelings Liam rouses in Daniel are definitely not the same.
Daniel offers to take him home, but Liam lies about which house is his has no home. He has nothing. Or had … until Daniel.
This is a super short (14 pages) glimpse into the beginning of Daniel and Liam.  Liam is homeless and suffers the loss of a meal through bullies. Daniel feels pain at this and takes Liam to dinner.  There was definitely not enough of this to flesh out a full story.  In fact, we get only teasers about everything.  Why is Liam homeless? What happened to Ben, Daniel’s brother?  What happened to cause bruises? How did Liam find Daniel’s house? (Yes, Liam says he followed Daniel bit he’s on foot, Daniel’s in a car and Daniel himself says it’s quite far.)
There just wasn’t enough here for me to consider it a story.  It seemed like the outline for a story that was never finished.  This could have been great with a longer, more detailed version.
The cover is the generic JMS one for all the hot flash stories and so doesn’t have anything to do with this one in particular.
Book Details:
Kindle Edition
Published June 8th 2019 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07RRLYG57

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Cold Pressed (A Seacroft Novel) by Allison Temple

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal LinkExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 80,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Cate Ashwood Designs
 
Seacroft Series
 
Book 1 – Top Shelf – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb


No strings attached is all Oliver can offer. He’s hiding a broken heart that holds him back from diving into a new relationship, but he’ll go on a blind date to make his family happy. Just one date, though; he doesn’t have time for love to derail his plans.

Divorced and demoted to the night shift, Nick has his own problems. He’s got an ex-wife who needs him and a kid with one foot in juvie. The last thing Nick needs is to butt heads—or other body parts—with a tempting hipster who wears a sad smile on their blind date.

Their chemistry can’t be denied, though, in an argument or in bed. No strings sex is uncomplicated and that’s what Nick and Oliver need. But getting into bed together is one thing. Staying out of each other’s hearts soon becomes so much more complicated than either one imagined.

Cold Pressed is an 80k contemporary MM romance. It features a smoldering bisexual single dad, a broken-hearted hipster with a thing for beet juice, and a friends-with-benefits arrangement that blooms into the HEA you’ve been looking for.

Allison Temple has been a writer since the second grade, when she wrote a short story about a girl and her horse. Her grandmother typed it out for her and said she’s never seen so many quotation marks from a seven-year-old before. Allison took that as a challenge and has gone on to try to break her previous record in all her subsequent works.


Allison lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and the world’s neediest cat. She splits her free time between writing, community theater stage management, and traveling anywhere that has good wine. Tragically, this leaves no time to clean her house.


Newsletter (get two free shorts right now): https://allisontemplebooks.com/newsletter
Facebook Reader group: https://facebook.com/groups/allisonsalist
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07B7P5591
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/allison-temple
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17490635.Allison_Temple
Twitter: https://twitter.com/allitemplebooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisontemplebooks/

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REVIEW TOUR and Giveaway for Chef On Top (Sizzling In The Kitchen #3) by MJ O’Shea

 

 

Buy Links:

Universal LInk:  https://books2read.com/ChefOnTop

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2JqUfcv

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2S5S3Kb

 
Cover Design: LC Chase
 
Sizzling In The Kitchen Series
 

Book #1 – Chef In The Wild – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Chef Vs Chef – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb
 

Chef Jake Casey has never been what you’d call… liked. By anyone. He was the odd outcast son of the town drunk, and he’s spent his adult life doing everything he can to be nothing like his father. If that meant stomping on a few dozen toes, so be it. But contrary to popular belief, he is human. It gets a little old being alone all the time. When he lands a new job on the other side of the country, Jake decides he’s going to change. New city, new restaurant, new Jake.


It’s going pretty well until his first and only friend’s ex shows up with a fiancé in tow. Ty is horrified. Jake might not have much practice with the friend thing, but he decides he’ll do what everyone in the movies always does – he offers to be Ty’s fake boyfriend. It can’t go wrong. Right?


Ty Caldecott knows better. His life isn’t a teen rom-com and situations like these always end up in humiliation. But the prospect of seeing Taran every day with that ring shining on his finger makes Ty want to vomit. Ty doesn’t want to look like a pining loser, so he tells Jake he’s in.


It can’t go wrong.

Right?

 

MJ O’Shea has never met a music festival, paintbrush, or flower crown she can stay away from. She loves rainstorms and a perfect cup of tea, beach days, music, bright colors, and more than anything a cozy evening with a really great book.


She is from the Pacific Northwest. While she still lives there and loves it, MJ has the heart of a wanderer. So she puts all her dreams of far off places and extraordinary people in her books.


Except for every once in a while when she does what all travelers have to do on occasion… come home.

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It’s the SALE BLITZ for Ryker (Owatonna U Hockey #1) by R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey !

 

ONLY 99C/99P ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS

 

 
 

This New Adult book is the first in the Owatonna U Series, a spin off from the best selling Harrisburg Railers Hockey Series.

 

Ryker is hockey royalty, Jacob is a poor country boy. Can two vastly different people find common ground and become the men they want to be?

Ryker comes from a long line of championship-winning hockey players. Playing college hockey to develop his game is his only focus, and nothing will stand in the way of him working to become the best player. He has no room for relationships, people who point out his flaws, or anyone who calls him on his dreams. He certainly has no place for love, and meeting Jacob is nothing but a useful distraction on the side. After all trying to get his Owatonna Eagles teammate into bed is less work and more play. When tragedy rocks his family, his charmed life crumbles, and the only person he can turn to is the same one who claims to hate him.

Jacob Benson has only known hard work and stifling conservative values his whole life. Born and raised in the small rural community of Eden Crossing, Minnesota, he’s the only son of a hard-working but struggling dairy farming family. Jacob is using his skills in hockey to finance his way to an agricultural science degree. These four years at Owatonna U. will probably be the only time he has to enjoy life, gain acceptance about his sexuality, and live openly before his inevitable return to the farm. Running into a pretty rich boy like Ryker Madsen is putting a damper on his enjoyment of life away from home. Ryker’s flip, conceited, carefree attitude grates on Jacob’s every nerve. So why, if Ryker is everything he dislikes, does he want nothing more than to explore the sinful dreams that his annoying teammate stars in every night?

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

 

 

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

 

Standalone or Part of a Series? This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Standalone or Part of a Series?

Ok, all of you know, it’s usually something I’m reading or just read that sets off a topic for my Sunday blog, and that’s the case again today.  Actually I’m surprised this hasn’t come up before now because I feel pretty strongly about it.  And that’s whether a book is labeled a standalone story or is part of a series.  And should a reader know that in advance of picking up a book to read.

My answer is yes, let the reader know.

Give your reader as much information about your story to make an informed guess as to whether to go and read the previous stories or to jump into the middle or, as I just did without any inkling, end up at the end of a trilogy that killed off a main character.  Was I happy?  Uh no.  This while giving happy endings to characters I had no idea who they were but apparently had stories that preceded this one.

How did I find that out?  Because while the title and blurb gave no indication that this novel was part of a series and the finale, when I went looking for  (hopefully) stories or notes that would indicate that the author would have new books coming to resolve this ending (there were ways given the nature of this book), instead I found reviews for the others in the series.  I was flummoxed.  Looking over each title, none indicated it was a part of a series/trilogy.  Yet the two characters in books one and two only get their resolution in the third novel.  One actually dies in his story. So uh, without reading them, what is their ending like? Got to be cliffhangers.

How do you feel about picking up stories you think are standalone only to find  that they are part of a series?

Sometimes it hasn’t mattered.  I have come in many times in the middle of contemporary series that feature multiple couples throughout the stories and pictured up the other books with no problem.  It depends I think on the narrative and overall arc.  I’m trying to think if I have done the same with a fantasy or paranormal series, and the answer is probably given the sheer amount of books I’ve read.  But again, I’ve already noted in my review that said novel or story, unlike whatever the blurb has said, isn’t a standalone, that its a part of a group of tales to be read in the order they were written.

I just did that with a Josh Lanyon book (The Art of Murders series) and a Ana Newfolk book from her Made In series.  The foundation and universe is the series each author has painstakingly created for their stories. Especially in Josh Lanyon’s case where The Art of Murders is a brilliant labyrinth of twisted psychology, deep emotions, and murder mysteries. Separating one out of the mix?  Can’t and shouldn’t be done.  In fact, the number of series where you shouldn’t come into the middle far out number the ones where it probably wouldn’t matter so much.  That’s like falling into the middle of Abigail Roux’s fabulous Cut & Run series with Ty Grady  and Zane Garrett.  You could do it but why would you? Or Amy Lane’s Fish Out of Water Series or or or…

So why do it at all?  Why say standalone if they really aren’t?

Hmmmm. Well, probably to sell stories for one.

People are less likely to commit to a series than they are to one story.  Well not me.  I love series.  But others, probably. Ok poll time let’s find out.

 

I can’t wait to see how this turns out.  How do people really feel about reading one book. One or  three or more?  For me it’s the more the merrier honestly.

Unless I come in on the end and they have killed off a major character with no hope of revival.  Sigh.

But I can see publishers or authors wanting to put their stories out there and making them as accessible to readers as possible, even if (in my opinion)that’s labeling them as a standalone when they aren’t (again my opinion) or lumping them under a bazillion of genre tags.  Ok, how many times lately have you seen a story labeled as a sci fy fantasy paranormal supernatural romance?  It’s a cat and bunny romance, you are already there.

Head desk!

Well that’s a topic for another Sunday.

Anyhoo, back to my topic.  How do you feel about standalones and series?  Write in and let me know.  There’s a $10 Amazon gift card waiting for a lucky reader chosen among the replies. And please take our poll, I’m dying to see our answers!

Oh and as to the book that set this all off?  I’m reviewing it later this month.  See if you all can guess which one it is. lol

Note:

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is looking for Reviewers!  We are looking for reviewers for our blog.  If you love to read or listen to LGBT stories and share your thoughts about them with others, consider reviewing with Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  Please send all inquiries to scatteredthoughtsandroguewords@gmail.com.  We look forward to hearing from you.  We are very flexible about how many reviews each reviewer takes on.   That’s entirely up to each reviewer’s own schedule.

And now onto our week ahead.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, July 14:

  • Standalone or Part of a Series? This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • SALE BLITZ – RYKER – RJ SCOTT & V.L. LOCEY

Monday, July 15:

  • REVIEW TOUR Chef On Top (Sizzling In The Kitchen #3) – MJ O’Shea
  • SERIES REVIEW TOUR – The Series of Fates by C.C. Dado
  • Release Blitz – Alison Temple – Cold Pressed
  • An Alisa Review :Denying Fate (A Series of Fates #1) by C.C. Dado
  • A Lucy Review: Invisible by Iyana Jenna
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Chef On Top (Sizzling In The Kitchen #3)  by MJ O’Shea

Tuesday, July 16:

  • Review Tour Request – C.F. White – Love & Tea Bags
  • Tour for “Serpent’s Teardrop” by Mary Rundle
  • Blog Post – Victoria Milne – Purple Method
  • Book Blitz  – WS Long – Revving It Up Box Set
  • A Stella Review: Love & Tea Bags (Pink Rock Series #1) by C.F. White
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Warm Heart (Search and Rescue #1) by Amy Lane

Wednesday, July 17:

  • Cover Reveal, – Joanna Chambers – Gentleman Wolf
  • AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR – Lucky Town by Morgan Brice
  • PROMO M.D. Grimm
  • A MelanieM Audio Review: Lucky Town (Badlands #1.5) by Morgan Brice and Kale Williams (narrator)
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Terms of Service (The Heretic Doms Club #2) by Marie Sexton and John Solo (Narrator)

Thursday, July 18:

  • R GREY PROMO ON Oasis
  • Release Blitz Signal – Sam Burns & W.M Fawkes – Patron Of Mercy
  • Release blitz Beautiful Trauma by Aimee Nicole Walker
  • BLOG TOUR Treasure Trail by Morgan Brice
  • An Alisa Review: Treasure Trail by Morgan Brice
  • A Caryn Review: Dancing with the Lion: Becoming (Dancing with the Lion #1) by Jeanne Reames

Friday, July 19:

  • Release Blitz  – What Lies Beneath – RJ Scott
  • Release Blitz – Hanna Dare – Black Sky Morning
  • Release Blitz – Eli Easton – How To Run With The Wolves
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: Kneading You by CS Poe
  • A MelanieM Review: Séance on a Summer’s Night by Josh Lanyon

Saturday, July 20:

  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Craving’s Creek by Mel Bossa
  • A Lucy Review: 9 Willow Street by Nell Iris